Applications of the circular economy to the second-hand textile and clothing market: the case of Humana in Portugal

ABSTRACT The Textile and Clothing Industry plays a key role in the world’s economy. Over the last decades, increasing consumption and the emergence of ‘Fast Fashion’ made this sector one of the most harmful to the environment. The effects are felt over the entire life cycle of garments. This article focuses on the possible contribution of second-hand sales to reduce the negative environmental impacts in the context of a circular economy. By using the case study of Humana, a second-hand store, this article analyses the positive effects of clothing reuse on the environment, applying a mathematical model. From 2016 to 2020, Humana sold 1426 tons of garments in Portugal, saving 18,574,473 kg of CO2eq emissions, 80,342,082 m3 of water consumption, and 121,941 MWh of energy consumption. However, results also show a low percentage of sales when compared to collected items. Improvement in second-hand clothing markets is necessary for Portugal, and policy promotion could be useful.